The problem of loading a fluid-flow tube quickly and easily into a peristaltic pump has resulted in development of so-called quick-loading peristaltic pumps such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,725 in which the reaction members are split in half to pivot to an open position to facilitate insertion or removal of the flow tube about the rotor. In the more common pumps, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,609, the reaction member is not split for pivoting to an open position but includes a continuous arcuate wall of at least about 180.degree. and often 270.degree. or more. The reaction member and the rotor define therebetween an arcuate slot or cavity into which must be inserted the flexible fluid flow tube. Typically the rotor carries at least two and usually three or more compression rollers each of which projects toward the reaction wall to define therewith a gap narrower than the relaxed diameter of the flow tube.
To load the flow tube into the cavity, it is necessary to squeeze the tubing to a smaller diameter than the normal relaxed diameter of the flow tube at the location of the rollers and this is at approximately three or more locations about rotor such as disclosed in the aforesaid patent.
It takes considerable manual dexterity for an individual to manually load the tube and to compress it between the compression roller and the adjacent portion of the reaction member while positioning the ends of the tube into grooves formed in the inlet and the outlet ends of the housing. For people lacking the manual dexterity, the loading of the tube is difficult. In some instances, the loading of the tube by inexperienced people results in the tube being stretched longitudinally when being pulled and wrapped about the rotor and pushed into the cavity. On the other hand, such a person may compress the tube longitudinally and insert too much tube into the cavity. Either a stretched or compressed tube affect the life of the tube and the performance characteristics of the pump. More specifically, stretching the tube reduces its internal diameter giving less flow and the stretched tubing experiences more stress thereby reducing its life. Thus, there is a need for a tool and better method of loading peristaltic pumps with the compressible flow tube.
Accordingly, a general object of the invention is to provide an improved method of loading a flow tube in a peristaltic pump.
A more specific object of the invention, is to provide a tool or key which is used to load the tube into the peristaltic pump.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.